9 New London Avenue August 2017 West Warwick, RI 02893 401-821-8888 Pastor Todd Stange Celebrating Our 131st Year Our Purpose Statement: Emanuel – Boldly joining God in sharing our gifts and love. Listening for God How to Get the Holy Spirit through prayer, to Show Up in Your Life scripture and discussion Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Following Christ’s example If you’ve never been to the New England’s Synod Assembly, you should Generously sharing consider going next June. It’s not every day you get to hang out with God’s grace and sing with 400 or so Lutherans. It’s loud and good. Passion – having it, The assembly is the gathering of all Evangelical Lutheran Church of using it! America (ELCA) congregations from across New England and even a small sliver of New York State. About 180 congregations in all are repre- Being organized sented. Congregations normally send two representatives along with their pastor. Congregations can also send an additional “youth” repre- Following through – sentative. “Youth” here means younger than 30. Each year I’m amazed walking the walk at the diversity and talent of the people in this wider church to which we belong. In this edition: Please let me know if you’re interested in going. It’s normally held the 1st or 2nd weekend of June. It’s my hope that everyone at Emanuel will Message from get to come and participate in the Assembly at least once. Pastor Stange Monthly Calendar This year Shannon Schabek, Diane Gadoury and I represented Emanuel Upcoming Events at the assembly. Here’s a bit of what I experienced. And much more! On Friday night after dinner there was a worship service. There’s nothing like a full belly and worship to get you ready for bed, but the preacher that evening was a pastor from the Massachusetts Council of Churches Notices can be left in the named Daryl Lobban. He’s a big man with a big voice and his energetic office, emailed to: [email protected] preaching style made it difficult to nap. I can’t remember his whole ser- or leave a message at: mon, but he was preaching on the Pentecost texts – where the Holy Spir- (860)-208-0762 it comes upon the fearful, bumbling disciples – and suddenly they are Thank you! -Mike Gadoury transformed and do amazing deeds in the name of God. 1 “How do you get this Holy Spirit to show up in your life?” he said, “Risk your life for the gos- pel. Put your life on the line for justice, for love. The Holy Spirit will show up.” What do you think? This was the claim Daryl Lobban’s made in his sermon. Is he right? Based on your experience, when you’ve put your life on the line for others, has the Holy Spirit shown up? The next day at the Assembly I attended a workshop titled “Sanctuary Movement.” It was led by a young man from Wisconsin named Kristofer Rhude. He’s in seminary, and this past year he did an internship at University Lutheran Church in Cambridge, MA. At the start of the workshop a pastor came to the front of the room and asked that no one take pictures or videos during the workshop. He explained that there were some people in attendance, who were putting themselves at risk and that pictures and videos would put them at even more risk. This got my attention. Not every workshop at Synod Assembly begins like this. The young man, Kristofer Rhude, then explained how the previous winter he decided to do his internship project on helping immigrants. Many undocumented immigrants had begun to be afraid of stricter enforcement of immigration laws, of having their homes or places of work raided, of getting in a fender-bender and then being removed from their families and deported. I know people have different feelings about undocumented immigrants. Some view them as breakers of immigration law, as people who are cutting ahead of all the people who have applied and are waiting patiently to immigrate legally. Others see them as people fleeing poverty or violence or both, with no good choices, good people who just want to live in peace. Both of these are true. A man in his early twenties got up to speak next. He was an undocumented immigrant. As a boy he came to the United States with his parents from South America. He went to high school in America and has recently graduated from college. His future would seem to be bright, but every day he lives in fear of being sent back to a country he doesn’t know. As part of Kristofer Rhude’s project University Lutheran looked at U.S. immigration policy and enforcement practices and the experience of undocumented immigrants. At the end of their study the congregation voted to become a “Sanctuary” church, which means a church that supports immigrants under threat of deportation. There is a history of churches giving sanctuary to people under threat. During the times of slavery many churches were part of the Underground Railroad. In World War II churches gave sanctuary to Jews, and in the 1980’s refugees escaping El Salvador’s civil war were given sanctuary in churches. Churches at their best are places of sanctuary, places of safe- ty, where one can take a time out, and think and pray. In our own tradition Martin Luther was given sanctuary at Wartburg Castle, when he was deemed a criminal. In the months since becoming a sanctuary church University Lutheran has begun working with other churches, and synagogues, and social service agencies across the city to help support immigrants. And this past May the church became the first in Massachusetts to 2 Kristofer Rhude shared that being a sanctuary church has been a lot more work than he thought, but that it has been rewarding. Coming from a small town in Wisconsin, one of the things he missed being in Cambridge was that small town feel of running into people you know when you’re out and about. But he shared that since University Lutheran became a sanctuary church he has met so many pastors, social workers, lawyers, reporters, politi- cians, immigrants, and other good people – that no matter where he goes in the city now, he’s always bumping into people he knows. If we put our faith on the line, does the Holy Spirit show up? If we put our faith into action, is God there? I think Pastor Daryl Lobban got it right. The answer is… yes. One of the last things we did at Synod Assembly this year was pass a resolution declaring the New England Synod to be a Sanctuary Synod, a synod that is against the mass deporta- tion of undocumented ones, a synod that supports immigrants, including undocumented im- migrants, a synod that supports congregations to become communities of sanctuary. May God give us the courage to live out our faith. Summer Drama Camp 2017’s “A Technicolor Promise” Thank you to all the children, parents, and many helpers who made last week’s Summer Drama Camp a lot of fun! 3 Church Picnic CHURCH PICNIC Sunday, August 27th Time: 12:00pm Buttonwoods Masonic Park What’s Provided: hot grills for cooking ice cold drinks tongs, spatulas, grilling utensils ketchup, mustard, relish really fun games th 4 Annual Emanuel corn hole tournament What you bring: food for grilling, e.g. hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, ribs, lobster, etc. dessert, chips or salad (pasta, potato, green, watermelon, etc.) bathing suit & towel folding chair or blanket you, your friends, your family Other facilities provided at the park: , Outdoor Pool with lifeguards, Beach, Rest Rooms & Showers, Baseball Fields, Picnic Areas, Playground 4 August’s book is “Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint” by Nadia Bolz-Weber Sunday August 13th 10:45AM I n Jacobs Hall All are welcome to come for food & fellowship. Upcoming Books: September 24 – “Counted With the Stars” by Connilyn Cossette October 22 – “The Great House of God” by Max Lucado Help Wanted in November 19 – “Dancing with Jesus” by Linda Fitzpatrick the church office We are looking for someone to cover the office (answer the phone and door, small tasks). Wednesday August 23rd 9am to 2pm and Thursday August 24th 9am to 2pm If you might be able to help one of the days (even for just part of the time), please call or email the office (401) 821-8888, [email protected] Thank you. 5 July’s Council Meeting at Pastor’s House It was a full, cozy house with many in attendance. Thanks to all for making the trek! June 4th was confirmation day at Emanuel Congratulations to our confirmands Carly, Natalie, Calla & Hunter! 6 EMANUEL BE THE CHANGE DINNER August 20, 2017 @ 5PM FYI – Ready for our next meal? If anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does Gods love abide in him? Little children let us not love in word or speech but in Deed and in Truth. 1 John 3: 17-18 I have applied and received a Thrivent Grant for this event to give all you very generous people a break from buying food this month. We will all be wearing Thrivent Shirts for this meal and will need a group photo for Thrivent to prove the event. Cooks – Myron, Pat The Johnson, Kathy Plant (arrive 10 am) Servers – Song Edwards, and ? (arrive 4:30 PM ) I need 5 more servers.